Here’s an exercise for you. Put, in any order you want, the following words and phrases together: hip new prophet, Donny Osmond flair, part three to the Bible, Return of the Jedi, paradise on the West Coast, why are you letting me die, I have maggots in my scrotum. Only the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, in collaboration with Robert Lopez (Frozen), could put them in such an order as to lead to one of the songs* from the Tony Award-winning musical The Book of Mormon.

Hello! Elder Price, Elder Cunningham, Elder McKinley are back in town. The touring company of The Book of Mormon begins performances on February 18th at the Ahmanson Theatre where the show will continue through March 29th. Two days after closing in Los Angeles, the show will open at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco (where performances run from March 31st to April 26th.)

If you haven’t seen The Book of Mormon, this irreverent musical won nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Score of a Musical and Best Director.

The musical depicts a group of young Mormon missionaries awaiting their assignments. Elder Price (Liam Tobin), the “Golden Boy,” dreams of an assignment to Orlando, Florida. Instead he gets Uganda. Not only that, he is paired with a chronic liar, Elder Cunningham (Jordan Matthew Brown), who is the loudest and most obnoxious of all the missionaries. The only thing that gets more intense than Cunningham’s lies are the outrageous circumstances that has the missionaries encountering warlords and facing issues such as female genital mutiliation, HIV/AIDS and famine. And a Scary Mormon Hell Dream.

Yes, this is a comedy. An outrageously funny one. What else would you expect from the guys who gave us South Park? But there is also a heart. A rather surprising one.

There is a shock value in much of the humor. How much you enjoy the show on repeated viewings may be linked to what impact shock humor has on you more than once.

For tickets at the Ahmanson Theatre go here.

For tickets in San Francisco go here.

*The phrases used above come from the song All-American Prophet

Photo:  Tsilala Brock, Liam Tobin and Jordan Matthew Brown in “The Book of Mormon.” (Photo by Julieta Cervantes/Courtesy of Center Theatre Group)

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“He’s always finding new things to do and new ways to work and new challenges for himself,” she says by phone a few hours before a recent performance. “He’s still passionate about what he does. That’s really inspiring to watch. I hope I get to work as long as he has and to maintain that work ethic. He is an example to us all.”

Chances are McNamee will have a lengthy career.  Her arrival in The Last Ship comes with a show-stopping song called “If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor.” Meg declares her independence in the song, but there’s something else going on in her heart.

“I think her ability to hide her true feelings is a big part of her character,” McNamee says of Meg. “That’s what that song is about. She’s a bit of a mess inside and puts on a show for everyone.”

The show hides her true feelings of having her relationship with Gideon (Oliver Saville) suddenly come to an end when he chooses to explore life at sea for a not-insignificant number of years. And then he returns.

“She buries her vulnerability, but it comes out like a gale force wind when she first sees Gideon. She’s all or nothing. She’s either incredibly vulnerable or like a superwoman and never the twain shall meet.”

This touring version of The Last Ship is a significantly re-worked version of the show that opened (and closed rather quickly) on Broadway. McNamee has been on this new journey with the show for a couple years. But she never felt any pressure to “make it right.”

“I sort of treated it as a separate entity because I think if you put that pressure on yourself you are setting yourself up for a fall. My character has a completely different set of circumstances. I didn’t see the Broadway version. For Lorne Campbell, writing the book, there was that pressure to make the story more succinct and clearer and I think we’ve definitely done that.”

For McNamee this was the opportunity to be more a part of the creation of a new show rather than a tour of an already established one.

“It’s really exciting. You feel like you have a bit more ownership, I think,” she offers. “I know there was the Broadway version, but in my head I’ve originated the role because it’s a different story. We don’t have a lot of power ever as actors, but it is nice to be included and that doesn’t happen unless you are performing at the very start.”

Before being cast in the show she had to audition. Not just for producers, but for Sting. Luckily McNamee was given parameters for that audition.

“I didn’t have to spend hours going through my folder and pick the right song. We were told not to sound too musical theatre because they wanted a more folksy sound. I did August Winds from the show and If You Ever See Me Talking...”

Had she been given a choice of material outside of the show to use for her audition, McNamee had a few ideas.

“I’d like to say I would have sung Fields of Gold because that’s already in my repertoire or My Brother Lived in San Francisco. I might have sung that. Or maybe, change my mind again, there’s a folk song Water of Time which is about lovers that are parted. That’s a pretty good tune. Maybe a traditional Northern England folk song.”

That latter choice reflects that McNamee grew up less than an hour from where The Last Ship takes place in Wallsend, England.

“My actual town was a mining town and it suffered a similar obliteration in the ’80s as the shipbuilding community. I’m familiar with the taking away of industry and what happens when its heart is ripped out. I’ve lived through it so I can draw on that and can use it. All the communities in that part are aware of what has happened and have an affinity for one another.”

Though the show is set in the not-so-distance past, McNamee feels as though the show has a lot to say to present-day audiences about the power of raising one’s voice and, in particular, a community raising its voice.

“I think there are plenty of things that are happening to us without our permission. It’s that message of galvanizing the audience to rally together. We are many, they are few. There is strength in numbers. When people don’t lie down and take what they are dished out it’s an amazing thing. We do have power. I think the new generation that’s coming up is really open to that message which is very exciting.”

Before our conversation was over, I asked about something Sting once said about success.  He said, “Success always necessitates a degree of ruthlessness. Given the choice of friendship or success, I’d probably choose success.” Would she?

“I think I’d choose friendship because I think ultimately at the end of it all you would regret not having any friends around you. If you had your rights right around at the end of your life, the other stuff might not matter.”

It was then she hesitated and said, “Can I have both?”

The Last Ship continues at the Ahmanson Theatre through February 16th. The show then moves to the Golden Gate Theatre  in San Francisco from February 20th to March 22nd. Additional stops are scheduled in Washington, D.C., St. Paul and Detroit.

Main Photo: Frances McNamee and the company of The Last Ship (All photos by Matthew Murphy/Courtesy of Center Theatre Group)

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In 2013, rock musician/actor Sting released his first album of new material in a decade. It was a song cycle meant as part of a theatre piece. In 2014 the musical The Last Ship (also the name of the album) made is debut on Broadway. The touring production of the show just concluded its run at the Ahmanson Theatre and opens this week at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre. The musical will run there from February 20th to March 22nd.

A little backstory before getting into the show itself. When The Last Ship opened at the Neil Simon Theatre, Jimmy Nail was playing the role of Jackie White. Ticket sales weren’t quite what everyone had hoped and slightly more than two months after opening, Nail was replaced by Sting in an effort to boost the box office. Those efforts did not succeed and the last show of The Last Ship was on January  24, 2015 after a run of only 105 performances (not counting previews of which there were 29.)

Sting returns to the part for this tour (which will also include at stop at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre immediately after closing in Los Angeles.)

The Last Ship follows Gideon Fletcher (Oliver Savile) in Wallsend, North East England in 1986. He’s been away at sea for a decade-and-a-half. When he returns he finds he woman he loved, Meg Dawson (Frances McNamee) has moved on. He also discovers that the shipyard that gave the town its life and purpose is closing.  Jackie White (Sting) is a foreman who wants to see his men finish one last ship before that happens.

All the songs in the musical were written by Sting. The Last Ship features a new book by Lorne Campbell. The original book was written by John Logan and Brian Yorkey. Campbell is also the director of the show.

Here’s the good news. The show has been significantly reworked since its Broadway run. I didn’t see the show there ,but did attend yesterday’s opening night. The Last Ship has terrific songs, wonderful performances (and kudos to the casting director Beth Eden who put together not just a talented ensemble, but one that genuinely looks like they work in ship building in Northern England) and while it might be a tad long, it is still involving. The Last Ship is certainly far better than its history would suggest.

Once this mini-tour of The Last Ship is completed, Sting will begin a residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on May 22nd.

For more information, check out our interviews with Frances McNamee and Oliver Savile.

The Last Ship runs 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission.

For tickets go here.

Update: This post has been updated after seeing a performance of the show. 

2nd Update:  This post has been updated for its run in San Francisco and also includes links to interviews with  cast members Frances McNamee and Oliver Savile.

Photo: Oliver Savile and Sting in The Last Ship (Photo by Matthew Murphy/Courtesy of Center Theatre Group)

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Hello, Dolly makes its first stop in Southern California starting today at Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa. After a week there the show moves to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood where the musical will run until February 17th. The show will continue on to San Francisco where it will be at the Golden Gate Theatre from February 19th to March 17th.

I recently spoke by phone with Buckley about the joys and challenges of performing in this utterly joyous musical.

How much work is involved in performing a show that is as joyful as Hello, Dolly!?

Well, good question. Every day is about maintenance to do the eight shows a week. I work out for 1-2 hours a day and vocalize for 30-45 minutes and you have to time your dinner early enough so you aren’t burping through the show. Basically I live like a monk or a nun. I don’t do anything at night and take an epsom salt bath and ice my knees before I go to bed and get up the next day. It’s not easy doing eight shows a week. I’ve lost 38 pounds so far. They just took in all these costumes. It’s pretty challenging even trying to work in a life – like reading a book is a privilege. You don’t get to keep up with your favorite tv shows.

You are known for playing darker characters like Grizabella, Norma Desmond and Mama Rose. what makes playing a more optimistic character both interesting and satisfying for you?

It’s more challenging actually because it is necessary to keep your own frame of mind in a really positive place and to bring your best self to the experience of that character. That’s challenging when you are tired and going through whatever you are going through. You have to process that quickly and lend yourself to the instrument of joy that is Dolly Levi.

It would seem that both Dolly’s 2^nd act entrance and the title song are enormous gifts for anyone lucky enough to play the part. What was that first night response like for you and what does that kind of unbridled enthusiasm and affection mean to you night after night?

The whole show is. Well it is amazing to experience – that is a remarkable thing. But it really is the show. I don’t tend to take it very personally. I’m grateful to be the quarterback of this team. It’s the production, the character and the show they are responding to. I’m just the actor. This production of the show is the best I’ve ever seen and Jerry Zaks’s direction is very amazing and illuminating. And the design by Santo Loquasto and the costumes and Natasha Katz’s lighting, the ensemble, the singers and dancers. It’s a remarkable team.

You told me when you were at the Wallis with “Ghostlight” that you “wanted to be a very natural, realistic actor who could paint portraits.” Now that you’ve been doing the show for a several months how has your portrayal of Dolly Levi evolved and met that criteria?

I wouldn’t know how to answer that. I don’t know how to evaluate my work. I guess I feel more grounded in the part. We’ve done over 100 performances at this point. In terms of what I experience I feel more grounded. Just evolved. Doing a run your own work evolves. I keep trying to make certain choices better, sing it better. I keep reviewing the story elements every night before I go on. I study the lines and run the show every day. Reading the script every day can give you new insights.

You also said when we spoke that “At each point of sincere readiness it appers to me that the opportunity comes.” Now that the Hello, Dolly! opportunity has not only arrived, but been launched, why do you think this opportunity came at this point in your career?

I think I’m more mature and know better how to tell the story now than I would have years earlier. One remarkable thing I can observe is that a part or character and story come when I have the information and experience to tell it and I’m grateful to experience that synchronicity of the spiritual. That is still my raison d’etre.

I was listening to “Hope” this morning (Buckley’s most recent album and in particular the title song) and it occurred to me that if Hello, Dolly! were less overtly joyful, that song could fit right in and serve Dolly well. Do you agree?  

Well I think she is the manifestation of hope. All human beings are a combination of light and dark. Dolly for the past 10 years as a widow has retired from life from when she lived it – fully with her husband while he was living. She’s reached a point where she’ss tired of living alone and shess on a mission to come back to the world of the living and participate at this moment of life.

This year marks 50 years since your Broadway debut in 1776. Does it seem like just yesterday and how have those 50 years overall been to you?

I‘m keenly aware of that and I became a performer when I was 11. I have been doing this consistently for 60 years. From my Broadway debut, in that sense it’s like a 50-year history. I thnk they’ve been very good to me. I’m very grateful for my career and the eclectic nature of it and the fact I’m still out there. That I was invited to helm this production is a huge honor. I’m exceedingly grateful.

Production photos of Hello, Dolly! by Julieta Cervantes

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No one planning this tour could have imagined that it would open here so closely on the heels of the passing of Carol Channing, who originated the party of Dolly Levi when Hello, Dolly! first opened in 1964. Taking on the role of the title character is Tony Award winner Betty Buckley (Cats.) In addition to playing Grizabella in Cats, Buckley has appeared on stage in such shows as Carrie: The Musical, Triumph of Love, Sunset Boulevard, 1776 and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

In the show, whose book was written by Michael Stewart, Dolly Levi is a matchmaker. (The show is based on Thorton Wilder’s play, The Matchmaker.)  It’s been ten years since the death of her beloved husband, Ephraim, and Dolly has decided to return to the world of the living. So while she pretends to be finding the perfect wife for millionaire Horace Vandergelder (Lewis J. Stadlen,) she’s really positioning herself to be his new bride.

Hello, Dolly! is perhaps the most crowd-pleasing show in the history of Broadway musicals. In addition to its well-known title song, Herman’s score includes “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and “It Only Takes a Moment” (known to anyone who has watched the Pixar film, Wall-E.)

This production is directed by Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. The show was designed by Santo Loquasto.

Go here our interview this week with Betty Buckley.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

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On Your Feet! ran for 746 regular performances on Broadway. The show earned a single Tony nomination for Sergio Trujillo’s choreography.

For the touring production, Christie Prades plays Gloria and Mauricio Martínez plays Emilio. Members of Gloria Estefan’s Miami Sound Machine are also part of the tour.

After On Your Feet! closes at Segerstrom Hall, it has engagements at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco and the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose.

In other words, they want to get most of California theatergoers…on their feet!

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